


A Tale of Two Twilight Towns

by volta_arovet



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Gen, Suspense, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-02
Updated: 2009-12-02
Packaged: 2017-10-04 02:41:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/volta_arovet/pseuds/volta_arovet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A tale of two identical little mages in two little towns that were also identical, except in the ways that they weren't.  Either way, Vivi was going to change.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Practice

**Author's Note:**

> Author's note: There are three ways to read this story. If you like sad stories, you can read all of the topside story first, in which case you'll want to read the parts that say "above" first and leave the bottom halves for later. If you like creepy stories, you can read the downside story first, in which case you'll want to read the parts that say "below" first and leave the top halves for later. If you like puzzling together the mysteries and picking out differences, read the stories as posted in these chapters. There is no preferred way to read this story, and each way has its own advantages.

**A Tale of Two Twilight Towns**

_A tale of two little mages in two little towns that were exactly identical, except in the ways that they weren't._

by volta arovet

_ **Above** _

Vivi adjusted his grip on the bat. He tilted his head, bright yellow eyes just barely visible under the brim of his hat. This was it, the moment he proved he was a fighter, not just some little kid who tagged along. With a roar that sounded childish even to Vivi's ears, Vivi charged at Rai, swinging his bat in a wide arc.

Rai easily batted Vivi aside, sending the little mage flying into the air. Vivi landed with a soft thud and a louder 'ow.' All three members of the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee winced.

"Geez, sorry, ya know?"

Fuu hit Rai upside the head. "Idiot."

It was Seifer who bent down and offered Vivi a hand up. "You okay, kid?" He glared at Rai. "Go easy, all right?"

"I said I was sorry, ya know?"

"'M okay," Vivi said, dusting off his backside. "You don't hafta go easy on me." He retrieved his bat and held it in the ready position. "Ready?"

Rai dubiously shifted his grip on his bat. "Ready, ya know?"

Vivi charged, Rai swung, and this time, Vivi ducked. Rai's bat passed harmlessly over Vivi's head, lightly clipping the top of his hat. Both fighters paused in shock as they realized what had just happened. And then, with a mighty yell, Vivi took a big swing and hit Rai in the side.

"Way to go, Vivi!" Seifer cheered.

"Nice shot."

"Good move!" said Rai, rubbing his side. "Also, ow, ya know?" He gave Vivi a friendly punch in the arm.

Vivi giggled and tugged his hat down to his ears. "I was thinking," he said, squirming under the combined attention of the three teenagers, "maybe I'd sign up for the Struggle tournament next week?"

"No point," Fuu said.

"Yeah," Rai added, "Seifer's totally going to win the tournament, ya know?"

"I know, but," Vivi fiddled with the brim of his hat, "there's always second place, right?" He looked up hopefully.

All three teenagers looked doubtful.

"I mean, not that I think I could get second place, I just, you know, thought I could...try?" He stared at his feet.

Seifer knelt down and put a hand on each of Vivi's shoulders. "Vivi, you know I've ticked off a lot of bad guys in this town."

"Yeah, but you showed them who's boss!" Vivi chirped faithfully.

Seifer smiled fondly before he could get control of his expression. "I sure did. But, Vivi, a lot of those guys are going to be in the tournament. They may try to get to me by hurting you, and I can't help you out if it's an official match. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Vivi nodded glumly. Seifer squeezed Vivi's shoulders as he stood up.

"Aw, come on. Vivi could totally take some of those guys, ya know?" Rai took a few mock swings with his bat.

"Hayner," Fuu said with her funny, secretive smile on her lips.

Seifer snorted. "Yeah, Vivi could definitely beat that punk."

"Setzer."

"If he could get that showy jerk to stop cheating, sure," Seifer muttered.

"Still bitter, ya know?" Rai whispered to Vivi who tittered nervously.

"It's okay," said Vivi softly. "You don't have to cheer me up. You guys are right. I'm not going to enter the tournament."

"Next year," Fuu said, giving him that strange, small smile.

"That's right. Next year it's going to be you and me fighting for that belt," Seifer said, puffing up proudly.

"There's no hurry," Rai said. "You're only nine, ya know?"

"Ten," Vivi corrected. "I'm ten."

Rai wrinkled his nose. "Didn't he turn nine last month, ya know?" Rai whispered to Fuu. Fuu frowned and shrugged her shoulders.

A clock chimed on the hill. Vivi jumped and quickly gathered his things together. "I completely forgot! I promised Grandpa I'd help him out today!" He hefted his bag over one shoulder and his bat over the other, then ran down the road, shouting a hasty "Bye!" over his shoulder.

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

Vivi adjusted his grip on the bat. He tilted his head, bright yellow eyes just barely visible under the brim of his hat. This was it, the moment he proved he was a fighter, not just some little kid who tagged along. With a roar that sounded childish even to Vivi's ears, Vivi charged at Rai, swinging his bat in a wide arc.

Rai easily batted Vivi aside, sending the little mage flying into the air. Vivi landed with a soft thud and a louder 'ow.' All three members of the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee winced.

"Geez, sorry, ya know?"

Fuu hit Rai upside the head. "Idiot."

It was Seifer who bent down and offered Vivi a hand up. "You okay, kid?" He glared at Rai. "Go easy, all right?"

"I said I was sorry, ya know?"

"M'okay," Vivi said, dusting off his backside. "You don't hafta go easy on me." He retrieved his bat and held it in the ready position. "Ready?"

Rai dubiously shifted his grip on his bat. "Ready, ya know?"

Vivi charged, Rai swung, and this time, Vivi ducked. Rai's bat passed harmlessly over Vivi's head, lightly clipping the top of his hat. Both fighters paused in shock as they realized what had just happened. And then, with a mighty yell, Vivi took a big swing and hit Rai in the side.

"Way to go, Vivi!" Seifer cheered.

"Nice shot."

"Good move!" said Rai, rubbing his side. "Also, ow, ya know?" He gave Vivi a friendly punch in the arm.

Vivi giggled and tugged his hat down to his ears. "I was thinking," he said, squirming under the combined attention of the three teenagers, "maybe I'd sign up for the Struggle tournament next week?"

"No point," Fuu said.

"Yeah," Rai added, "Seifer's totally going to win the tournament, ya know?"

"I know, but," Vivi fiddled with the brim of his hat, "there's always second place, right?" He looked up hopefully.

All three teenagers looked doubtful.

"I mean, not that I think I could get second place, I just, you know, thought I could...try?" He stared at his feet.

Seifer knelt down and put a hand on each of Vivi's shoulders. "Vivi, you know I've ticked off a lot of bad guys in this town."

"Yeah, but you showed them who's boss!" Vivi chirped faithfully.

Seifer smiled fondly before he could get control of his expression. "I sure did. But, Vivi, a lot of those guys are going to be in the tournament. They may try to get to me by hurting you, and I can't help you out if it's an official match. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Vivi nodded glumly. Seifer squeezed Vivi's shoulders as he stood up.

"Aw, come on. Vivi could totally take some of those guys, ya know?" Rai took a few mock swings with his bat.

"Hayner," Fuu said with her funny, secretive smile on her lips.

Seifer snorted. "Yeah, Vivi could definitely beat that punk."

"Roxas."

"There's something wrong with that guy. I'd _love_ to see Vivi teach him a lesson."

"Setzer."

"If he could get that showy jerk to stop cheating, sure," Seifer muttered.

"Still bitter, ya know?" Rai whispered to Vivi who tittered nervously.

"It's okay," said Vivi softly. "You don't have to cheer me up. You guys are right. I'm not going to enter the tournament."

"Next year," Fuu said, giving him that strange, small smile.

"That's right. Next year it's going to be you and me fighting for that belt," Seifer said, puffing up proudly.

"There's no hurry," Rai said. "You're only nine, ya know?"

"Ten," Vivi corrected. "I'm ten."

Rai wrinkled his nose. "Didn't he turn nine last month, ya know?" Rai whispered to Fuu. Fuu frowned and shrugged her shoulders.

A clock chimed on the hill. Vivi jumped and quickly gathered his things together. "I completely forgot! I promised Grandpa I'd help him out today!" He hefted his bag over one shoulder and his bat over the other, then ran down the road, shouting a hasty "Bye!" over his shoulder.


	2. Meetings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ **Above** _

_ **Above** _

Vivi only tripped three times on his way to his grandpa's restaurant (and really, that last one was more of a stumble than anything else), so all-in-all it was a pretty successful scurry in Vivi's opinion.

He rounded the last corner and sped out of the alleyway just as the out-of-town train pulled into the station. Vivi made a little detour so he could look at the people coming off the train. Grandpa wouldn't mind Vivi's lateness if he brought a customer with him, right? Vivi scanned the crowd for any potential gourmets or gourmands.

"Mognet delivery!" a brash voice announced behind Vivi.

Vivi turned to see a teenager with a mess of light brown hair, a toothy grin, and a monkey tail that twitched playfully back and forth. He leafed through his mailbag. "Now, let's see. Kumop, Mogki...which Moogle are you, again?"

"Zidane!" Vivi cheered, giving the teen a big hug around his knees.

"Nope, you can't be Zidane. _I'm_ Zidane," Zidane said, only barely keeping his balance.

"Zi-_dane_."

"Look, you're Moogle-size and are _obviously_ hiding a pom-pom under that hat, and you definitely can't be my buddy Vivi because the Vivi I know is this tiny little guy who'd never parade around town with a Struggle bat like some tough street punk and—"

"Zi-_**dane!**_" Vivi's button eyes glowed with the promise of retribution if Zidane didn't stop teasing him.

Zidane did a mock double-take. "Well, whaddya know! It _is_ Vivi! How are you doing? Still hanging out with those delinquents?"

"Yeah!" Vivi paused. "Seifer's not a delinquent!"

Zidane snickered. "Sorry, my bad. Got any cute new waitresses?"

Vivi groaned. "Noooo. Is that all you think about?"

"Pretty much, yeah." Zidane was cheerfully unrepentant. "Oh, that reminds me! I've got to tell you about this girl I met! She says she's a princess, but she—" Zidane glanced at the station's clocktower. "Ah, shoot. I had to take the late train and now I've got all these deliveries I've got to make before the moogles get mad at me. Save me a table. I'll tell you all about her tonight!"

Vivi eyed him warily. "Grandpa says I've got to make sure you pay this time."

"Sure thing," Zidane laughed, running off towards his first delivery destination. He turned around so he was jogging backwards. "Oh, yeah. I got you a present! Don't let me forget!" he shouted to Vivi.

Vivi waved after Zidane until the teen turned a corner and was out of sight.

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

Vivi only tripped three times on his way to his grandpa's restaurant (and really, that last one was more of a stumble than anything else), so all-in-all it was a pretty successful scurry in Vivi's opinion.

He rounded the last corner and sped out of the alleyway just as the out-of-town train pulled into the station. Vivi made a little detour so he could look at the people coming off the train. Grandpa wouldn't mind Vivi's lateness if he brought a customer with him, right? Vivi scanned the crowd for any potential gourmets or gourmands, but something much more interesting caught his eye.

There was a strange, silver _something_ hanging behind the train, like someone had taken an impossibly sharp sword and sliced through the air, like tiny bits of reality could leak out of the gap. Vivi circled it warily. It was flat, sort of, and when he looked at its far side he found it had no back.

_help us_ the gap whispered into Vivi's mind.

Vivi yelped and skittered to a safe distance.

_won't hurt you please help us_ the gap whispered, and Vivi felt _helplesswantingsad_.

"M-my name's Vivi. What's yours?" Vivi asked politely, keeping his distance.

_we are nobody nobody nobody_ it said, and_lonelybrokenlonely_.

"You can't be nobody, or else you couldn't be talking to me," Vivi pieced out, slowly and rationally, and he thought that maybe his grandpa would be pleased by his logic.

_we are nobody, little master made us somebody_ and the _misshimneedhimfindhim_ nearly knocked Vivi to the ground.

"Your master is gone now?" Vivi asked.

_gone gone gone_ the slice of nothing sighed, and _gone inside, with you_ and _help us?_

"You need my help coming through?" Vivi asked, and stepped a bit closer to the hole.

_yesyesyesyesyes_

Vivi raised his hand, lowered it, and did a sort of shuffling dance as he edged closer to and farther from the hole. He took a deep breath, murmured, "Please don't bite my hand off," and bravely stuck a hand into the gap. There was a moment of nothing, and then something grabbed on so tightly it made Vivi gasp.

Vivi pulled backwards and slowly tugged his hand out of the gap. A slippery silver _something_ was wrapped around it, stretched back into the hole like a fat fishing line. Vivi pulled and pulled and the line thinned and thinned until Vivi wondered if it would snap like a rubber band or just shred into nothing like taffy pulled too far, and then something released and there were these strange silver creatures pouring out of the gap like when Vivi had accidentally overturned a pot of spaghetti only his grandpa wasn't there to bandage his hands and say comforting things and oh no had he just made a really _really_ bad mistake?

The creatures faced him, sliding back and forth on hips that moved too far and legs that stretched too thin, swinging their arms that were like knives and Vivi thought they were really scary but maybe also kind of sad. As one, they bowed to him, and then quickly slithered out of sight.

"You're welcome," Vivi called after them, and felt a little better.

"Well, wasn't that just nice?" a sharp voice said from the gap, the sound of one person's lazy applause accompanying it. "Helping out some people you don't know, and you didn't even ask for a reward. Seeing a good kid like you...it just warms my heart."

The gap was still speaking to him and, okay, that was still weird, but at least it was out loud this time. Vivi was learning to treat normalcy as a sliding scale. "They missed their friend," Vivi said. "It's sad, missing people."

"You sound like you know what you're talking about," the slice through space said so sincerely that it was almost cruel. "Miss someone?"

Vivi nodded, then wondered if whoever was in the gap could see him. "Yes."

"Then don't just stand around; make like your little friends and go see them!"

Vivi shook his head. "I can't. They're gone."

The hole sighed. "That is sad. I miss someone, too. My friend. I've been trying to see him, but things keep getting in my way. I don't suppose you could help me out?" the gap wheedled.

"You need a hand, too?" Vivi shuffled back to the hole, ready to reach in again.

"A little more than that. I'm not as stretchy as the other guys, so I can't really get through the same way. I don't suppose you could synthesize something for me? I'll make it worth your while."

"You don't need to—"

"Oh, I insist. Trust me, once you hear the ingredients list, you're going to _demand_ payment." The whatever-it-was in the hole laughed, and the sound wasn't exactly pleasant, but Vivi had said he'd help and he wasn't going to back down now. It carefully explained what Vivi had to do and told him to memorize it, but Vivi wrote it down, too, just to be sure.


	3. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ **Above** _

_ **Above** _

"Vivi!" Vivi opened the door and was faced with an enormous red tongue lolling out of an extremely wide mouth attached to a moderate size creature brandishing a gigantic fork. "You. Are. Late."

Vivi winced. "Sorry, Grandpa Quan. Zidane's in town! He said—"

"Pff. That boy bad influence, always talk about girls, never pay for meal. Now, you! Come here," the Qu demanded.

Vivi shuffled forward, then squealed as he was bodily lifted from the ground. Quan hummed to himself as he jostled Vivi up and down, testing his weight. He brought the child close to his face and sniffed deeply.

"No, no. You not good eating yet," Quan announced. "Since you no ripe, you punishment be cleaning. Floors wash, tables set, garbage out, chop chop!"

Quan put Vivi down, who proceeded to do all the chores he normally would have done anyway. His grandpa was funny that way—he pretended to be strict but his punishments were always easy, and Vivi was _fairly_ certain his grandpa wasn't serious about eating him. He wasn't a thing like a Black Mage, but he was a _good_ grandpa, and Vivi would always be grateful to Zidane for finding him.

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

"Vivi!" Vivi opened the door and was faced with an enormous red tongue lolling out of an extremely wide mouth attached to a moderate size creature brandishing a gigantic fork. "You. Are. Late."

Vivi winced. "Sorry, Grandpa Quan. There was this really weird thing behind the train station! It—"

"Pff. You stop poking around strange places and start getting home on time. Now! Come here," the Qu demanded.

Vivi shuffled forward, then squealed as he was bodily lifted from the ground. Quan hummed to himself as he jostled Vivi up and down, testing his weight. He brought the child close to his face and sniffed deeply.

"No, no. You not good eating yet," Quan announced. "Since you no ripe, you punishment be cleaning. Floors wash, tables set, garbage out, chop chop!"

Quan put Vivi down, who proceeded to do all the chores he normally would have done anyway. His grandpa was funny that way—he pretended to be strict but his punishments were always easy, and Vivi was _fairly_ certain his grandpa wasn't serious about eating him. He was a _good_ grandpa, but he wasn't anything like a Black Mage, and sometimes Vivi missed them more than anything.


	4. Presents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ **Above** _

_ **Above** _

Vivi 'oofed' as he hefted the overlarge trashbag over his shoulder. He toddled carefully out the door, determined to not spill a single speck of dirt. He had worked hard to make the restaurant nice and clean for tonight's guests, and he wasn't going to let that hard work go to waste.

"Stop! Thief!" Vivi jumped and the bag of garbage flew out of his hands. Contrary to the laws of comedy and tragedy ruling Vivi's life, the bag landed neatly in the bin. The tow-headed teen running by took a dive and landed neatly in the bushes.

"Zidane!" Vivi yelped. "What did you do?"

"Shh! I'm not here, you didn't see me, I'm totally innocent," Zidane whispered.

Vivi was about to protest when an angry man came running around the corner. "Hey! Did you see a kid with a tail run by?" Vivi mutely shook his head. The man quietly cursed to himself and ran off.

Zidane climbed out of the bushes. "Thanks, Vivi."

Vivi's hands were firmly planted on his hips. "What. Did. You. Do?"

Zidane nonchalantly brushed the dirt off his pants. "Nothing?" He was the very picture of innocence. Even his tail was curled into a puzzled question mark.

"Zidane!" Vivi fixed him with a level gaze.

He put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, so I stole his wallet."

"Zi-_dane!_"

"Don't sic Seifer on me! The guy'd been stiffing the Moogles at the shop. I was just getting their money back, that's all."

"Really?" Vivi's eyes were big and gold and letting him down would be like kicking a puppy.

"Really." Zidane placed a hand over his heart. "I was Robin Hooding, I swear."

Vivi made a show of thinking this over. "Okay," he said at last, nodding his head in a satisfied manner. "Do you...want to come inside? I've still got to set the tables, but other than that..."

"Actually, now's a good time to give you this." Zidane fished a small silver box out of his satchel. "Here you go. Happy tenth."

The box contained a small brown nut. "Thanks!" Vivi said, a bit confused but totally enthusiastic. He sniffed the nut. "It, um, smells nice."

"It's a Kupo Nut. Moogles go crazy for them," Zidane explained. He stuck his hands in his back pockets and looked up at the sky. "I bet if you gave this to a Moogle, he'd synthesize just about anything you asked for, like, say, I don't know, one of the new Struggle Battle Bat designs I just dropped off?"

Vivi was overjoyed for one brief moment. Then he looked at the ground and shuffled his feet. "I, um, decided I'm not going to sign up for the Tournament," he mumbled.

"What?"

"I'm not going to sign up for the Tournament," Vivi said in a louder voice. "I'm not ready and I might get hurt," he added in what he hoped was a mature and reasonable tone of voice.

"Well, that's just plain dumb."

Vivi blinked a few times. "What?"

Zidane knelt down so he was eye-level with the little mage. "Vivi, the last time I visited you, all you could talk about was Seifer and the Struggle Battles. You can't give up on that now."

"But..."

"Besides, I already signed you up for the Tournament." Zidane gave him a cheeky grin.

Vivi couldn't bring himself to hit Zidane and there was nothing handy to throw, so he just flapped his arms and stomped the ground a few times. "Zidane!"

Zidane straightened up and stretched his arms behind his back. "Yeah, I saw you hadn't signed up yet and I figured you needed a kick in the butt."

Vivi's arms continued to flap uselessly. "I...you did...that was my decision! You shouldn't have made it for me!" he finally yelled in a surprisingly firm voice.

For the first time since he arrived in Twilight Town, Zidane stopped smiling. "Sorry?"

Vivi glowered; Zidane sighed.

"You're right. I wasn't thinking. (Not my strong suit, you know?) Sorry." Zidane gave Vivi an uncharacteristically miserable look. His tail twitched in a decidedly morose manner. "We okay?"

Vivi shuffled his feet. "S'okay. Sorry I yelled at you."

"No problem. I kind of like it when you stick up for yourself. Makes me feel proud." Zidane puffed up his chest and was completely unprepared for Vivi's tackling hug. "Whoa! What's this for?"

"Missed you," Vivi mumbled into Zidane's shirt. Zidane rubbed Vivi's head—well, his hat, but the right intention was there, and that's all that mattered.

"You too." Zidane gave an extra tight squeeze, then stepped back. "The Moogles' shop should still be open," Zidane said at last. "How about you run down there and pick out the best bat they've got? Take a few practice swings, and if that doesn't change your mind, we can go down to the sandlot and cross your name off the list. What do you say?"

Vivi mumbled something about chores.

"Pff. Even I can set tables," Zidane said, waving a dismissive hand. "Well, so long as your grandpa trusts me with the silverware, that is," he added, and Vivi giggled, and things were okay again

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

Vivi 'oofed' as he hefted the overlarge trashbag over his shoulder. He toddled carefully out the door, determined to not spill a single speck of dirt. He had worked hard to make the restaurant nice and clean for tonight's guests, and he wasn't going to let that hard work go to waste.

"Stop! Thief!" Vivi jumped and the bag of garbage flew out of his hands. Contrary to the laws of comedy and tragedy ruling Vivi's life, the bag landed neatly in the bin. A tow-headed and betailed teen running by took a dive and landed neatly in the bushes.

"Zidane!" Vivi yelped. "What are you doing here?"

"Shh! I'm not here, you didn't see me, I'm totally innocent," Zidane whispered.

Vivi was about to protest when an angry man came running around the corner. "Hey! Did you see a kid with a tail run by?" Vivi mutely shook his head. The man quietly cursed to himself and ran off.

Zidane climbed out of the bushes. "Thanks, Vivi." He nonchalantly brushed the dirt off his pants and was completely unprepared for Vivi's tackling hug. "Whoa! What's this for?"

"Missed you," Vivi mumbled into Zidane's shirt. Zidane rubbed Vivi's head—well, his hat, but the right intention was there, and that's all that mattered.

"You too." Zidane gave an extra tight squeeze, and Vivi just hung on tighter. The tip of Vivi's hat tickled Zidane's nose, and he realized he was in this hug for the long haul. "Hey, is everyone treating you okay?"

"Uh-huh," Vivi told Zidane's shirt.

"Got any cute new waitresses?" Zidane asked Vivi's hat.

"Noooo." The voice was muffled, but it sounded a little happier.

"Still hanging out with those delinquents?"

"Yeah!" Vivi paused and backed away far enough so he could glare at Zidane. "Hey, Seifer's not a delinquent! _You_ were the one being chased!" Vivi's hands were firmly planted on his hips. "What did you do this time?"

"Nothing?" Zidane was the very picture of innocence. Even his tail was curled into a puzzled question mark.

"Zidane!" Vivi fixed him with a level gaze.

He put his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, so I stole his wallet."

"Zi-_dane!_"

"Don't sic Seifer on me! The guy'd been stiffing the Moogles at the shop. I was just getting their money back, that's all."

"Really?"

"Really." Zidane placed a hand over his heart. "I was Robin Hooding, I—"

A loud crash came from the front of the restaurant, quickly followed by the unmistakable sound of Vivi's grandpa shouting, "Stop! Thief!"

Vivi looked at Zidane. "It wasn't me this time, I swear!"

Vivi thought he might have seen a silver something out of the corner of his eye, but he really hoped he was wrong.

"I'm gonna go help your grandpa before he blames me," Zidane said, already starting to jog around the side of the building. "Oh, almost forgot!" He turned around, jogging backwards, and tossed Vivi a little silver box. Vivi caught it out of sheer instinct. "Happy tenth! Give it to a moogle and he'll synthesize just about anything you asked for. Why don't you go check out the new Struggle Battle Bat designs while I take care of stuff for your grandpa?"

"Thanks!" Vivi said, a little too pleased at the unexpected gift to be properly miffed at being left out of the excitement. "You said I could trade this for anything, right?"

"Yeah, but—"

"Thanks again!" Vivi scurried off. He had a promise to keep.


	5. Barter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ **Above** _

_ **Above** _

Only the very top of Vivi's head peeked over the edge of the shop's counter. He shifted back and forth a bit, hat bobbing from side to side, and Stiltzkin, the moogle manning the shop, had to resist the urge to pounce.

"Kupo, what can I get for ya?" the moogle asked.

"Hiya, Stiltzkin. Um." Vivi dug into his pocket and pushed the box onto the counter. "I have this."

"Kupo!" the moogle sighed. "Is that a kupo nut?"

Vivi nodded.

"Ku-po!" Stiltzkin exclaimed, properly impressed. "I'll give you one, no, **two** hi-potions and an ether for it."

"I want a bat."

"Hmmm," Stiltzkin made a show of thinking it over, but his greedy eyes never left the box. "Okay. One standard bat for the nut, kupo."

Vivi shook his head. "I want one of the good ones."

"Standard bat plus an ether," Stiltzkin bargained.

"The one with the star," Vivi said, putting his hands on his hips in an unintended impression of Zidane. "Please."

Stiltzkin dithered back and forth.

Vivi asked himself what Zidane would do. "Maybe there's another Moogle I could talk to?" he said slyly. "Do you think maybe Mogki likes kupo nuts?"

"Kupo! No! No! One star bat for the nut! Deal! Deal!" The moogle fluttered about in frantic circles.

It was impossible to tell if Vivi was smiling, but his button eyes shone a little more brightly. "Deal!"

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

Only the very top of Vivi's head peeked over the edge of the shop's counter. He shifted back and forth a bit, hat bobbing from side to side, and Stiltzkin, the moogle manning the shop, had to resist the urge to pounce.

"Kupo, what can I get for ya?" the moogle asked.

"Hiya, Stiltzkin. Um." Vivi dug into his pocket and pushed the box onto the counter. "I have this."

"Kupo!" the moogle sighed. "Is that a kupo nut?"

"Um, maybe?" The moogle opened the box.

"Ku-po!" Stiltzkin exclaimed, properly impressed. "I'll give you one, no, **two** hi-potions and an ether for it."

"I want this," Vivi said, sliding his scribbled directions next to the box.

"Hmmm," Stiltzkin looked down the list, and slowly the greedy expression was replaced with a worried frown. "No. This is not a good thing. What about a bat, kupo? A nice new state-of-the-art Struggle bat?"

Vivi's eyes narrowed. "I want _this_."

"Standard bat plus an ether," Stiltzkin bargained.

"I want this," Vivi said, crossing his arms in an unintended impression of Seifer. "Please."

Stiltzkin dithered back and forth.

Vivi asked himself what Seifer would do. "Maybe I should tell people about how unfair you're being to me," he said in an attempt to be intimidating. "Do you think that might affect how much business you get?"

"Kupo! No! No! You win, I'll make this thing for you." The moogle fluttered about in frantic circles. "But if anything bad happens, don't blame me, kupo," it grumped, more to itself than to Vivi.

It was impossible to tell if Vivi was frowning, but his button eyes shone a little more sadly. "Alrighty. And, um, sorry."


	6. Shatter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ **Above** _

_ **Above** _

Vivi skittered back to the restaurant, his brand new bat proudly slung over his shoulder. He didn't fall once the entire way, which he took as a sign that his luck was changing. He hoped his grandpa and Zidane weren't fighting. He loved them both, but there had always been a "conflict of personalities," as Zidane had explained it once. Maybe he could sneak into the kitchen and replace Zidane before his grandpa noticed?

When Vivi opened the door, he saw that Zidane and Quan were talking peacefully in the kitchen. He prepared to chirp a cheery hello.

"They were all dead," Zidane said, and Vivi's world stopped. Zidane was facing away from the door, but his tail twitched in a worrisome manner and the serious tone didn't suit him one bit. Vivi drew back, keeping the door open just a crack, a cold feeling settling in his stomach. "I'm sorry, Quan. That was my last lead."

Quan hummed to himself in thought, an odd, rumbling noise that resonated in his enormous stomach. "How long they live?"

"Most of them died about a year after they were made." Vivi was very glad that he couldn't see Zidane's face. It would have made things too real. His world was spinning again, and it was going too fast, and Vivi couldn't breathe. Zidane fiddled with his satchel. "I found a book of records in their meeting hall. It didn't really have anything I could use, but it looks like some of the village's leaders lived to be a little over 14 months old, so I'm guessing the stronger you are, the longer you live."

Quan nodded sagely. "That good."

"So, Vivi's gotta live to be at least 20, right? He's the, he's the strongest kid I know." Zidane's shoulders began to shake, and Vivi closed the door as silently as he could.

He hid behind the garbage bin and tugged his hat down about his eyes and ears until the world stopped spinning and he could breathe again. Then he crept around to the front of the restaurant and noisily opened the door. "I'm back!" he called out cheerfully.

"We in kitchen!" Quan yelled back.

"Hurry up and get here, Vivi. Your grandpa's picking on me!" Zidane shouted, then yelped.

"More work, less complaining!" Quan ordered.

"See?" Zidane said, and as Vivi hurried to the kitchen, he thought about how normal things seemed, even though they weren't.

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

Vivi skittered back to the hole behind the railroad station, the strange circular disk held carefully in front of him. He didn't fall once the entire way, which he took as a sign that his luck was changing. He hoped the person in the hole was still there, and he hoped he wasn't so he could just say that he'd done his best and go back to the restaurant. In his effort to fulfill his promise, he had forgotten how creepy the gap in reality was.

"Hey, you did it!" the slice in space said. "That was fast. Nice going, kid."

"Thanks," Vivi said, placing the disk on the ground. "I just press the button, right?"

"That's how buttons usually work." If an amorphous two dimensional gap could smirk, this one smirked. Vivi pressed the button.

The man was tall and skinny, a long curve of black leather and red hair with brittle, green eyes and a smile like a knife. He held out a hand and admired the way it flexed back and forth. "Gotta admit, he does great work," he said, and Vivi got the distinct impression the man wasn't talking to him. He turned to Vivi, as if noticing him for the first time. "Oh, hey, you're a Black Mage. I haven't seen one of you in forever."

Vivi's world stopped. "You...you've seen others like me?"

"Sure," the man said, making funny little circles with the first two fingers on his right hand. "The guy who designed you guys is my, ah, coworker. Well, former coworker," he amended with a nasty smile.

"Do you..." Vivi could barely bring himself to hope, "Do you know where...?"

"Where the other Black Mages are?" the man finished for him. Vivi nodded his head, tip of his hat wobbling back and forth. The man shrugged, an expansive gesture on his thin frame. "My guess is they're all dead. That's what happens when you've got a built-in time limit. You've got to be pretty close to running down too, am I right?"

Vivi tugged his hat down about his eyes and ears and moaned, "No no no no no..."

The man knelt in front of Vivi and placed a hand on his trembling shoulder. The touch prickled and tickled and Vivi had to stop himself from flinching away. "Come on, kid. Don't be like that. I've got good news for you. I'm going to make you the strongest Black Mage there ever was."

Vivi's eyes were big and gold and letting him down would be like kicking a puppy. "You mean it? I'm not going to, to stop?"

"No, you're still going to 'stop.' The good news is that you're not going to care about it anymore." As the virus finished its transfer into Vivi, the little mage had time to think about what a big mistake he had made, and then, nothing.

A little while later, Vivi toddled into the restaurant's kitchen. "I'm back!" he called out cheerfully.

"Your grandpa's picking on me!" Zidane whined playfully, wiping his red-rimmed eyes. "What does he need all these onions for, anyway?"

"More work, less complaining!" Quan ordered, smacking Zidane with a nearby spoon.

"Ow! See?" Zidane said, and Vivi giggled. It was funny how normal things seemed, even though they weren't.


	7. End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ **Above** _

_ **Above** _

Vivi stood in front of the Struggle signup board. Under Hayner's name was Vivi's, written in a slanted, expressive scrawl. It was crossed out. Under that, Vivi's name was written again, this time in rounded, carefully formed, childish lettering. It was also crossed out. The name below that was exactly the same, as was the name below that, and below that, at the very bottom of the board, Vivi's name was just barely squeezed in. This last one remained uncrossed off for the moment.

"You're going to run out of room," Seifer said, and Vivi only jumped a little.

"Um. That's okay. I think I'm going to. Leave it like this," Vivi said slowly.

"That's a nice bat," Seifer said. Vivi shifted his grip and the star tip shone in the lamplight.

"Thanks," Vivi said, and just barely blocked Seifer's attack.

Vivi blinked in surprise. Seifer grinned over their crossed bats. "Yeah. Yeah, I think that'll do. Good bat, nice moves...so long as you don't let anyone push you around, you should be fine."

Vivi met his gaze with a shaky determination. "I'm going to do my best. To be strong."

Seifer nodded and let his bat drop. "You do that. Me and you, number one and number two, right?"

Vivi nodded back, and the two of the turned to walk back to Vivi's home. Vivi's shoulder bumped against Seifer's hip as they walked, and he echoed, "Number one and number two."

* * *

  
_ **Below** _

Vivi stood in front of the Struggle signup board, his old, worn bat resting against his leg. On the board, under Hayner's name, was Vivi's, written in a slanted, expressive scrawl. Vivi was peering at it curiously, his head cocked to one side.

"Looks like someone signed you up," Seifer said, and Vivi turned to look at him.

"Yeah, but. I think I'm going to. Leave it up there," Vivi said slowly.

"It's your decision," Seifer said. Vivi shifted his head slightly, and his eyes shone brightly in the lamplight.

"Right," Vivi said, and neatly blocked Seifer's attack.

Seifer blinked in surprise, then grinned over their crossed bats. "Yeah. Yeah, I think that'll do. Nice move. So long as you don't let anyone push you around, you should be fine."

Vivi met his gaze with a steady determination. "I'm going to do my best. To be strong."

Seifer nodded and let his bat drop. "You do that. Me and you, number one and number two, right?"

Vivi nodded back, and the two of the turned to walk back to Vivi's home. Vivi's shoulder bumped against Seifer's hip as they walked, and he murmured, "Something like that."


End file.
